Chocolate Stained Hands
by Star Ribbon
Summary: I've got my first job! Who cares if it's just the medicine clerk? ::heavy spoilers, hinted Kranna::


**Author's Note: **Not much to say here, other than this is how I pictured a younger Anna. If you wanna comment on it, feel free to – after all, this Anna is about 20, and she hasn't met Kratos or done anything that was mentioned in canon yet.

**Disclaimer: **You should know that this stuff isn't mine – it belongs to Namco. Though, I guess, technically, I own Will and Mr. Kingsford…

Luin was normally a bustling city. Anna relished in pride as she walked through the crowded streets. This was _her_ town. And she was helping to keep that great spirit - for today, she was going to her first day of work.

So, okay, her job wasn't that great. But hey! A job's a job, as everyone says. (Even if it was as rinky-dink as working as a clerk at the medicine store) The cute uniform helped, too! She could feel that loose skirt swirling around her as she moved.

The peasant top blouse also felt like a nice touch. Every now and then, though, she had to keep tugging at the shoulders so they'd stay up. It... got irritating after a while. It didn't matter: it was a cute uniform.

Her incentive to work revealed, Anna finally opened the doors to the medicine store. The door chimed her arrival; a sluggish elderly man yawned as he slowly caught sight of Anna.

"Ah, Anna! I see you made it on time for once!"

She pouted at the man. "Mr. Kingsford, you didn't have to rub it in like that."

He laughed, ruffling her hair (she pouted even more at _that_). "Same old Anna. Do you need an explanation of what to do?"

"Nope," She chipperly responded. "I got it. Restock only at the beginning of day, since only travelers come in, and they come usually during the afternoons or evenings. If there's a lot, then you have to do it at the end too. Umm... only special travelers are allowed to have some of the herbs. And... what was that-- Oh! Never leave the keys under the house plant."

Her boss clapped. "You've got it down pat. There's not much to running the shop, as you can see. You'll be mostly just restocking or reading up on the medicine more than actually selling them to customers."

"Aw," Anna couldn't help saying. "I... guess that's okay. I'm just taking over while you're out of town."

"Don't worry - I shouldn't be gone long," Mr. Kingsford encouraged her. "It's just a trip to Asgard, after all."

Asgard... Anna sighed wistfully at the mere thought of the city off to the south. It'd be wonderful to travel to other places and be a traveler of the world. It seemed so big... and so magical, especially when it was basking in the moonlight of Tethe'alla.

See, even their moon had a great name! How could she not go traveling?

... Well, the answer was simple. Money talked, and it said that she didn't have enough of it. Her parents had also said no too: she was needed to stay at home and take care of Will. But Will was eighteen now! He was surely old enough to be left alone in the city! Her parents were just stupidly over-protective in that aspect. Therefore, Anna had to be content with her books.

They made for good reads at least? The maps were also pretty. Reading her geography books were pretty much how Anna spent her first few hours keeping shop. The townspeople of Luin were a healthy bunch: they didn't require medicine for their children. Mainly travelers came in to by gels.

Gels, in Anna's opinion, were a little expensive. How could travelers afford to buy so many at once? It boggled her mind the first time she saw a traveler come in and buy apple and orange gels. He asked for miracle gels, but the confused look on his face told him more than enough. He left soon after his purchase.

That... traveler hadn't been the most interesting. And he had come in the morning. So what else was there to do besides read and eat? There wasn't even anything to restock!

The door, however, finally chimed as a tall stranger walked in. His crimson red hair hid one of his eyes (chocolate brown, she later noted when he was practically in her breathing space); he held a book under his arm.

She looked up from her book, a chocolate chip cookie in her hand. "What do you need?"

Nothing phased this guy. He motioned to the apple and orange gels held in the glass cabinet below her. "About five apple gels and four orange gels."

"Uh... sure thing."

She paused, staring at her hands. Both of them were drenched in chocolate... erk, this couldn't be good for business. Or her health! Her eyes wide, she hurriedly searched for something - _anything_ - to wipe her hands off. The books were a no... those plastic pigs had to be a no... uh, what could she use?

The guy across from her blinked. "Is something the matter?"

She narrowed her eyes. "Unless you happen to have a napkin, I can't answer that for you."

He sighed. "I suppose I'll have to hand you this?"

A handkerchief was tossed across the counter. Anna eagerly wiped the chocolate off her hands, muttering something that suspiciously sounded like, "Thank Martel!" She looked up... and he was still staring at her.

She gulped, hurriedly grabbing the keys. And... then... it had to happen. Her legs crossed each other; she fell to the ground sideways in a heap. Cursing under her breath, she groaned as she attempted to get herself up.

To her surprise, he was... laughing? More like soft chuckling to himself, with his hand covering his mouth. Yet, he... actually was capable of smiling too. (She could see that through his hands) Huh. How weird.

"I-I apologize for the delay," She quickly said as she got the gels out. Putting them in a package, she added, "That would be... one thousand and three hundred gald."

He handed over the money, and she placed them into a cash register. "U-Um, before you leave?"

He blinked. "What is it?"

"You need the handkerchief back?"

Taking the package under his arm, he shook his head. "It's probably better if you keep it."

She felt her face turn red. Man... what kind of travelers did this place get, anyways? Apparently the impolite - if not blunt - ones.

"Thanks," She muttered as he walked out the door.

To her surprise, he whispered just as softly, "You're welcome," as the door slammed shut.


End file.
